Leather-finishing machine.



A. E; DODGE, DEGD.

M. 1;. DODGE, ADMINISTRATRIX. LEATHER FINISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION 11.31) JUNE 9, 1905.

Patented Nov. 10; 1908.

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LEATHER FINISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1905.

903,181., I Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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ALBERT E. DODGE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS; MARY E. DODGE ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID ALBERT E. DODGE, DECEASED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented. Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed. June 9, 1905. Serial N 0. 264,406.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. DODGE, of Lynn, county of Essex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Leather-Finishing Machines, of which the following, read in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for finishing leather. Its purpose is to provide a machine of this character which shall be adapted for working all classes of leather, including the finest colored skins.

The invention consists in the combination of a straight impression plate and one or more roll-pressers and actuating means therefor and for producing pressure therebetween; and in matters of arrangement and construction thereof as more fully described hereinafter.

Of the drawings Figure 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine embodying this invention. Fig. 3 shows a section of the presser-roll on an enlarged scale.

The blocks 2, 2, are mounted for sliding movement on ways 4, 4, of the machine frame A, and in said frame is a shaft 6 with right and left screw sections 8, 10 engaging similar formations in the blocks 2, 2, respectively, so that the blocks are moved toward and from each other by suitably turning the shaft 6. The blocks 2, 2 have inclined chan-. nels 12, 14 into which slide the sections 16,18 of the block 20. This block 20 supports the impression plate 22, being detachably connected therewith by screws 24. The plate 22 has a downwardly exposed or underface 26 which may be left smooth for imparting the impression of smoothness to the material, or it may be embossed with figures in order to give an embossed finished surface to the leather.

The impression plate 22 is heated by induction from the block 20, which may be heated by any suitable means, a convenient means is to construct the block with a chamber and fill this with live steam from any suitable source of steam supply.

Obviously, the position of the block 20 may be varied vertically up and down by suitably turning the shaft 6, and by this means the relation of distance between the plate 22 and the roll-pressers may be varied to suit the different thicknesses of leather to be finished and the different degrees of pressure which it may be desirable to employ in the finishing work.

In the present instance, a pair of roll-pressers 28, 30 are mounted in a carrier 32 having foot rolls 34 for traveling on the longitudinal ways 36, 38. Said ways are fixed upon the frame A and extend in a line parallel with the under face 26 of the impression plate 22. The carrier 32 is supported on sprocket chains 40, 42 which travel in connection with sprocket wheels 44 arranged on opposite ends of the shafts 46, 48, and on the shaft 48 is a gear 50 in mesh with the gear 52 on the shaft 54. Power is applied to shaft 54 by any suitable means. Said chains 40, 42 also support a duplicate carrier 58 wherein the roll-pressers 29 and 31 are mounted. The number of carriers may be varied as also the number of presser rolls may be increased or decreased without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It is important for the roll-pressers to be composed of a yielding material which, while under pressure, will orm a matrix to the embossing pattern on the plate 22 and .have resiliency sufficient to come back to surface smoothness when the pressure is removed. To this end the roll material is made to consist of leather disks a, which are mounted on a spool-shaft b and tightly compressed between the heads 6, e. The material is turned down and buffed off to present a perfect cylinder with smooth surface. I have found a roll constructed in this manner to give very satisfactory results and it is very durable.

In use the leather material is placed upon the table f, f through which is an opening to make way for the roll pressers to travel and press the material upwards against the surface 26 of the impression plate. A uniform pressure being secured by the parallel arrangement of the surface 26 and the carrier tracks 36, 38. The leather is moved about by the workman for presenting all parts thereof to be worked upon at different times as may be desired.

It will be understood that heat is an important element in finishing leather by this method, and in the matter of delicately colored leathers too much heat, or contact with the heated plate 22 for too long a time will discolor, and, consequently, spoil the material. Yet it requires much pressure and heat to produce the most desirable results. In this connection I secure a most important feature by the combination of a straight impr'ession plate and one or more horizontally actuated roll-pressers. It allows a great pressure being applied for the briefest possible period, which may be reapplied if desirable when the second rollpresser comes along. Another important feature is secured by having the pressers located under the impression plate and material so that all staining of the material from drops of oil is avoided. Still another feature is attained by having the presser roll carrier travel continuously in one direction, as thereby all backward action .of the pressers and, consequently, cockling of the leather is avoided, the leather when finished being always left without any oockling or curling tendencies.

Having thus described my invention I claim In a leather finishing machine, the combination with a suitable frame, a table thereon having an opening formed therein, a

block depending above the opening in the vided with inclined channels adapted to re-' ceive inclines 16 and 18 on the impression block, and means for simultaneously reciprocating the blocks 2, 2, toward or away from each other whereby to raise or lower the impression block uniformly throughout its length, of carriers, endless chains tov which the carriers are secured, said carriers having two sets of rollers, one of which bears upwardly against the lower surface of the impression plate, and ways upon which,

the other set of rollers travel.

Signed by me this29t-h day of May 1905.

ALBERT E. DODGE.

lVitnesses A. M. TUTTLE, C. B. TUTTLE. 

